What causes aimless movement? 22 possible conditions

See a list of possible causes in order from the most common to the least.

Aimless movements can be a symptom of a primary or secondary movement disorder, side effect of a medication, psychiatric disturbance or dementia. Aimless or purposeless movement is therefore a significant sympto...

This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.

Delirium is an abrupt change in the brain that causes mental confusion and emotional disruption. It makes it difficult to think, remember, sleep, pay attention, and more. You might experience the condition durin...

Organic brain syndrome (OBS) is a general term for decreases in mental function that are not caused by a psychiatric disorder. Reduced mental function could include: problems with memory difficulties understandin...

A surge in neuron activity causes seizure, resulting in a host of physical symptoms such as muscle contractions, visual disturbances, and blackouts. Partial (focal) seizures affect just one area of the brain.

This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.

Vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders are a group of diseases in which not enough blood is supplied to the back of the brain. Symptoms depend on the cause, but may include vision and sleep problems, dizziness, and more.

This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.

A spinal cord injury, or damage to the spinal cord, is an extremely serious type of physical trauma. It will likely have a lasting and significant impact on most aspects of daily life. According to the Nationa...

A venomous snake bite can be deadly and is a medical emergency. Even a bite from a harmless snake can cause infection or an allergic reaction, producing symptoms like pain and swelling, convulsions, nausea, or paralysis.

Schizophrenia is the common term for a group of serious psychiatric conditions called the schizophrenic disorders, which are generally characterized by hallucinations and delusions. Auditory hallucinations (hearin...

This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare but serious autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy nerve cells of the peripheral nervous system. This leads to weakness, numbness, and tingling, and ca...

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder. It first presents with problems of movement. Smooth and coordinated muscle movements of the body are made possible by a substance in the brain calle...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. MS can cause varying symptoms that appear with a wide range of severity, from mild discomfort to complete disability.

Autism is one of a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, which are characterized by impaired communication and social interaction, and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviors or interests.

Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer that develops in tissues of the sympathetic nervous system (the system that carries brain signals to the body). Early symptoms of the cancer can include fever, diarrhea, and others.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is a type of brain disorder caused by a lack of vitamin B1. The syndrome is actually two separate conditions that can occur at the same time. Usually you'll experience symptoms o...

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